Manawatu stock sales

Feilding Prime Stock Sale Monday April 3

This was an almost astonishing yarding of virtually 7400 lambs and resembled a hogget fair. Lamb vendors are being attracted into this sale by no grading and no weight restrictions. But there are many lambs that would achieve good grading and weights also being offered at this sale.

The start of the sale indicated a couple of buyers may have been holding back, hoping the high numbers may have forced an easing on sale prices, but they soon became involved and prices really did not change for the duration of the sale. Perhaps sale prices may have eased by around half a kilogram compared to last week’s but the change was hardly significant for these numbers. The day’s top price was certainly below last week at $132 for 31 lambs from TC & SL Field and also 31 from J England but these lambs were certainly lighter than last week’s. Lambs that could go to the works were being sold through this prime sale.

Store lamb numbers were much reduced this week and prices remained steady.

Ewe numbers were slightly higher than last week. The proportion of lighter grazing ewes was much increased this week and the number of poor ewes was a surprise, considering the good feed levels around. Ewe sale prices remained firm for all grades.

No steers were offered for sale and the heifer section offered mostly crossbred cattle and not particularly heavy ones at that. Consequently, heifer prices were steady enough.

Cow entries were reduced below last week and, this week, more in-calf cows were put forward. They were generally only medium types and cow prices were a little flat compared to last week.

The bull entry was not large at half a dozen, evenly split between angus bulls and jersey bulls and the highlight was one angus bull selling for $2478 ($3.06).

Sheep (9,397): lambs (7,393); prime (7,280), 41-58kg, $103-$132, $2.30-$2.70, slight ease; store (113), 24-40kg, $60-$102, $2.50-$2.80, steady; ewes (1,931); good, heavy, 26-30kg, $98-$108, $3.75-$4.00, firm; medium, 21-25kg, $75-$96.50, $3.60-$4.00, firm; lighter, 16-20kg, $60-$75, $3.75-$4.00, firm; poor sorts, $46-$58; male sheep (73), $25-$110.

Cattle (191): heifers (34); 343-385kg, $799-$1004, $2.33-$2.77, steady; lesser sorts, 280-310kg, $554-$610, $1.97-$1.98; cows (151); good, heavy, in-calf; 470-650kg, $822-$1339, $1.75-$2.10, ease; boners; 362-570kg, $557-$1077, $1.54-$1.99, ease; bulls (6), 370-900kg, $880-$2478, $2.38-$3.06.

Feilding Calf Sale Monday April 3

The poor weather must have impacted on the calf entries and the buyers on the bench almost seemed to exceed the calf entries. Only one pen of friesian bull calves was put forward but most beef bull calf auctions started at $300 which is a new benchmark high level.

Bulls: friesian, $290; charolais cross, $430; W/F, $330-$420.

Heifers: W/F, $300-$390; charolais cross, $410.

Feilding Store Stock Sale Friday March 31

A lot more sheep than advertised arrived for this sale and any thoughts that the lamb yarding may have been smaller were dashed when 400 more lambs than last week arrived and very nearly 21,000 were offered for sale.

Ewes began the sale and continue to surprise with the prices paid for very average ewes. Run with ram ewe numbers lifted and they sold to good demand with the 154 Romney two-tooths from D Mclachlan that sold well for $131 likely to have made more had they been introduced to the ram already.

Demand for store lambs is very widespread and does not appear to be waning. Excellent feed conditions prevailing contemporaneously with what certainly seems to be reduced number of available store lambs is creating a great market for store lamb vendors and the ‘‘overnight’’ lamb trader is working for practice as sale prices again firmed by a few dollars/head.

The top male lambs today were in the pen of 227 cryptorchids from Ten Ridges Ltd, Eketahuna, selling for $112.50 with 273 cryptorchids from ‘‘Maungatotara’’, Taihape, selling for $112. JRW & RA Batley, Taihape, sold 125 blackface ewe lambs for $105 to top the ewe lamb section. The lambs were generally in a compressed weight range with very few lambs over 40kg liveweight and equally few lambs under 30kg liveweight. It is also very noticeable so far this year that very few lambs are suffering health issues, unlike last year when facial eczema caused so many problems. Hardly any lambs sold for less than $100 with cents/kg rates lifting in line with reducing liveweight.

The cattle sale was also a large affair with good sale prices and high feed levels helping this market too. There were no bullocks as such sold but some very solid steers were offered. Ratanui Development Co, Halcombe, sold 15 rising three year angus steers for $1940 ($3.01) and the Taylor Family Trust, Levin, sold two pens of devon cross steers, both for $1805 with the 14 red steers selling for $3.07 and the 16 black steers making $3.08. Even with two weaner sales for this week, weaner steers were sold to firm demand.

Plenty of friesian bulls were put forward again and with bull schedules firming recently this market was never likely to ease. 10 friesian bulls from Glengyle Farm Partnership, Hunterville, sold for $1500 ($2.92) to top the bulls. Good autumn-born friesians were also sold and weaner bulls were described as selling to ‘‘phenomenal’’ demand, as evidenced by many such animals making over $5/kg as buyers look to lighten the bull footprints for winter although, by and large, the weaner bulls were just average types.

Useful heifers were offered with more rising three year heifers put up again with no real standouts. 23 well bred rising two year angus heifers from Merchiston Estate, Rata, caught the market’s eye, however, and sold for $1360 ($3.09) – these cattle offering longer term breeding options. The weaner heifers offered were mostly crossbred cattle and did not lift the market’s sights with the better weaner heifers likely to turn up next week.

Sheep (22,401): ewes (1,472); RWR, $87-$115; 2th, $131; lambs (20,929); 40-42kg, $110.50-$112.50, $2.66-$2.75, firm; 36-40kg, $102-$112, $2.68-$3.00, lift; 31-35kg, $99-$107.50, $2.86-$3.30, lift; 27-30 kg, $98.50-$104, $3.27-$3.58, firm.

Cattle (1,782): steers; R3 (149), 458-643kg, $1465-$1940, $2.90-$3.19, Rongotea Sale March 29 Prices maintained their previous levels at Rongotea today with a larger number of autumn born calves adding to the selection mix for buyers.

3 year hereford bulls 860 kg made $2330 ($2.71).

2 year white face steers 427 kg 590 kg made up to $1620 ($2.75 $2.92), friesian steers 473 kg made $1230 ($2.60) and cross breed steers 382 kg made $915 ($2.39).

2 year angus bulls 445 kg made $1260 ($2.83), white face bulls 365 kg made $1060 ($2.90) and friesian bulls 370 kg made $1050 ($2.84). Jersey bulls 407 kg made $1070 ($2.63) and cross breed bulls 260 kg made $710 ($2.73).

2 year white face heifers 313 kg – 470 kg made up to $1350 ($2.40 $2.87) and angus heifers 475 kg made $1320 ($2.78). Friesian heifers 382 kg – 473 kg made up to $1320 ($2.45 $2.79) and cross breed heifers 313 kg made up to $690 ($2.20).

15 month angus cross steers 305 kg made $880 ($2.89).

Yearling cross breed bulls 395 kg made $1080 ($2.73).

Weaner white face steers 125 kg 240 kg made up to $810 ($3.37 $4.80) and friesian steers 125 kg made $450 ($3.59). Charolais cross steers 250 kg made $790 ($3.16) and saler steers 195 kg made $650 ($3.33).

Weaner friesian bulls 234 kg – 290 kg made up to $900 ($3.10 - $3.55) and 129 kg – 170 kg made up to $770 ($3.80 - $4.52). Hereford bulls 340 kg made $1030 ($3.02) and simmental bulls 341 kg made $1170 ($3.43). White face bulls 95 kg – 240 kg made up to $700 ($2.92 - $4.74) and beef cross bulls 170 kg – 181 kg made up to $700 ($2.94 - $3.85). Cross breed bulls 115 kg – 185 kg made up to $490 ($2.63 $3.21) and jersey bulls 125 kg – 188 kg made up to $520 ($2.50 - $2.76).

Weaner hereford heifers 112 kg made $440 ($3.91), white face heifers 100 kg – 184 kg made up to $610 ($2.67 - $4.50) and angus cross heifers 108 kg – 145 kg made up to $500 ($3.45 - $3.97). Friesian heifers 112 kg - 198 kg made up to $505 ($2.55 - $2.74) and cross breed heifers 105 kg - 161 kg made up to $460 ($2.81 - $3.24).

Friesian boner cows 385 kg - 595 kg made up to $1050 ($1.73 - $1.84) and cross breed boners 400 kg – 533 kg made up to $955 ($1.73 - $1.80). White face boners 625 kg made $1170 ($1.87). Weaner pigs made $35 - $70. Ewes made $54 - $100 and mixed sex lambs made $56 - $116.

In the calf pens, friesian bull calves made $300 – $390 and white face bulls made $350 - $400. White face heifers made $300 - $410 and angus cross heifers made $300 - $350.